2019 US Open to offer $57 million dollars as prize pot, richest in history of Grand Slams

Sports Saturday 20/July/2019 22:03 PM
By: Times News Service
2019 US Open to offer $57 million dollars as prize pot, richest in history of Grand Slams

Washington: The 2019 US Open will be offering a total prize pot of more than 57 million US dollars, a record high in all Grand Slam tournaments, the organisers announced on Thursday.

Both the men's and women's singles champions will receive a record prize of 3,850,000 US dollars, while the men's and women's champion doubles teams will each receive 740,000 US dollars, making it not just the richest in US Open history, but also in the history of Grand Slam tournaments.

The record total is an eight percent increase over the 2018 total, with payouts for each round of the 2019 US Open being the highest in the history of the sport's four majors, the organisers said.

Those competing in the US Open qualifying tournament will also see a hefty increase in payouts in 2019 as the event will offer a near 20 percent increase in total purse over 2018, topping 3.5 million US dollars for the first time.

In addition, the US Open, which was the first tournament to offer equal prize money to both men and women players in 1973, will this year institute another groundbreaking initiative, with the US Tennis Association (USTA), which owns and operates the tournament, making a payment of 1 million US dollars to the WTA and ATP (500,000 US dollars to each) in order to assist in providing transition programs for players, including a pension.

"The US Open prides itself on offering the best tennis players in the world the richest total prize money in our sport," said Patrick Galbraith, USTA Chairman of the Board and President.

"We strive to be innovative, and feel that our new contribution of 500,000 US dollars to both the ATP and the WTA will go a long way toward the long-term financial well-being of all of our sport's athletes."

The US Open is scheduled for Aug. 26-Sept. 8.